What are the legal requirements to be married in Australia?
The following legal requirements must be met for a marriage conducted by a registered marriage celebrant to be considered legal in Australia:
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with the exception of Section 12 from The Marriage Act 1961, both parties must be at least 18 years of age
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you are required to have two witnesses to the ceremony who are at least 18 years of age to sign the certificates and register
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you must sign a declaration to state that there are no legal impediments to the marriage e.g. being married to someone else, the couple being too closely related etc.
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a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) must be lodged with your celebrant no less than one month and no earlier than 18 months before your ceremony
To complete the NOIM:
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you must show your original (photocopies are not accepted) birth certificate, extract of birth or passport from your country of birth
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if you have been married previously, you must show your Divorce Decree Absolute or Death Certificate of your previous spouse.
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The Attorney General's Department website has more information for couples who are about to get married.
How long does a civil wedding ceremony usually go for?
Most civil marriage ceremonies last between 10-20 minutes with an extra 5-7 minutes for the signing of the register and certificates. Your wedding ceremony may be shorter or longer depending on the content you would like to include but generally, allowing 30 minutes from start (the processional) to finish (the recessional) is a good guide.
Can we personalise our wedding ceremony content?
Creating wedding ceremonies that are unique and relevant is my speciality. If you have set plans about what you would like to include and/or say, I am happy to include them but otherwise, if you don't have a clue, I have many resources and lots of experience to help guide you along the way. We'll work it out together.